Tutorial Note on Merging Matrix Elements with Parton Showers

Abstract

In this short note, I introduce to essential conceptual features and main building blocks of matrix element merging algorithms, operating on fixed order calculations both at leading order and next-to-leading order. The intention is purely pedagogical, i.e. to familiarize the reader with the essential basic concepts in a concise way, thus serving as an introduction to beginners and other interested readers. Unitarization is discussed briefly. The tutorial is highly biased towards transverse momentum ordered parton showers, and in particular towards merging schemes as they are implemented in the Pythia8 general purpose Monte Carlo generator.